Scottish Office

   The position of Secretary of State for Scotland and a new Scottish Office were created in 1885. In 1939, the Office was moved from London to St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, although a small office in London was retained. Even prior to devolution, a very large part of Scottish government was administered from Edinburgh, through the Scottish Office and its component departments. It was the focus for pressure groups that wished to influence the direction of policy within their area of operation.

   Post-devolution, the functions of the Office were transferred to the new devolved machinery, although it remained in existence, staffed by a small number of people who serviced the Secretary of State. In June 2003, Tony Blair announced that the role of Secretary of State for Scotland, to represent Scottish interests in the United Kingdom Cabinet, would be combined with other posts within the Cabinet. The Scottish Office, together with the Welsh Office, was moved to become part of the new Department for Constitutional Affairs.